Dhoni gets the nod

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The International Cricket Council has announced its world ODI team of the year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by West Indies batting legend Clive Lloyd.

The ICC awards recognise the best international players of the past 12 months.

ODI Team of the Year (in batting order):

Herschelle Gibbs (SA)
Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)
Ricky Ponting (Aus, captain)
Younus Khan (Pak)
Andrew Symonds (Aus)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind, wicketkeeper)
Farveez Maharoof (SL)
Daniel Vettori (NZ)
Brett Lee (Aus)
Mitchell Johnson (Aus)
Nathan Bracken (Aus)
12th man: Salman Butt (Pak)

Six countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and two players – Ricky Ponting of Australia and India’s Sachin Tendulkar – also appeared in the World ODI Team of the Year in 2007. Ponting is named as captain of the team for the second year running.

India one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the ODI Player of the Year award.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed 1,298 runs at an average of 49.92 with a strike-rate of 82.46

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During the voting period, Dhoni played 39 ODIs and scored 1,298 runs at an average of 49.92 and at a rate of 82.46 runs per 100 balls faced. In that time he hit a century and nine fifties making sure he led his team from the front.

Dhoni also captured 62 dismissals (46 catches and 16 stumpings), which is almost twice as many as the next best wicketkeeper.

He is currently ranked number one in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen.

Dhoni said: “I would like to thank the voting academy for considering me to be deserving of this award. I am really happy to get this – it’s a great privilege.

“Also, it feels great to know that I am the first Indian player to get this particular award and it’s very special because now I am in the company of a lot of other good cricketers. Some fantastic players have won this award in the past and to be mentioned in their company is truly a humbling experience for me.

“I would like to thank the ICC, my home cricket board, my family, my team-mates and friends.”